Fires in Indonesia "truly out of control."

Schools and airports have been closed. The Indonesian government has already spent about $200 million to fight the fires and has recently accepted help from Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Yet this year’s fires will likely keep burning for at least another month. The total economic costs may exceed $14 billion.

28th October 2015

Further, the fires, which are largely burning on high-carbon peatland, have caused a spike in greenhouse gas emissions. New analysis finds several days recently where Indonesia’s greenhouse gas emissions from fires surpassed the daily level of emissions of the entire U.S. economy.

These fires in Indonesia do not occur naturally. They are largely the result of a history of destructive land management, poor law enforcement, inadequate preparation, and sheer bad luck with an extended dry season caused by the El Niño now upsetting weather patterns globally.

When the presidents meet, they should work together to respond to this crisis and reduce the risks of future fires. The U.S. can support better land management in Indonesia in three keys ways: MORE>>>